Pneumatic concrete-placing machine



April 2, 1929.`

J. E. BusHNELL PNEUMATIC CONCRETE PLACING IACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1925 um n;

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Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED sTATEs PAT JAMES E. BUSHNELL, oF NORTH PLAiNFmLD, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNon To msonE 1,101,653 ENT 'oi-"Fica",y

CONCRETE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. Y

PNEUMATIC CONCRETE-PLACING Application led August 1, 1925. Serial No. 47,476.

The improvements relate generally to apparatus for conveying and placing concrete and the like by compressed air, and more particularly to the closure of the vessel in which the plastic concrete or concrete forming aggregates are deposited and from which they are expelled by compressed air in the conveying and placing operation. They are in the nature of an improvement in cer- 10 tain parts of the apparatus described vand claimed in the copending application of James H. Fitzgerald, Serial Number 7 54,717, tiled December 9, 1924, Patent No. 1,658,046, and are designed primarily to provide in such an apparatus pneumatic means for closing the receptacle after the charge has been placed therein, and also to provide an improved closure ,and accessories.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section,v artly in elevation of an'apparatus embo ying the improvement; and

Figure 2 is an elevation illustrating a method of connecting the air valve han# dles. Y

The vessel 1 is closed except for the charging inlet 2 and the outlet 3, and is provided with a worm 4 for propelling the materials toward the outlet, a compressed air inlet 5 and a housing 6 in which Vmay be located a motor or other means for rotating the worm, all mounted on a suitable base 7, as in said copending application. The `top compressed air inlet 5 may be used when desired, and may be employed to clean the vessel. Air pressure, however, sufficient to expel the contents, will be established by airv entering it from the compressed air pipe 8, which also propels the materials through the discharge conduit 9 to the point of placement. Y

The inlet or charging opening 2 has a reinforcing ring 10 on. which is mounted a 5 hopper 11,'and in which is set a sealing gasket 12.` In an extension 13 of this'ring is a pivot 14 onA which a curved door carrying arm 15 and an operating arm 16 therefor are mounted. The curvature of the arm is such 0 that when it swings downwardly to open the also keyed, andl this collar is located in and fills an opening 19 in the hopper.l As the door 20 is loosely hung, by means of the pivot 21, on the end of the arm 15, it willV swing when the charge strikes it on entering thevessel'and will not obstruct the flow of materials thereinto. The pivotal connectionalso permits the door to seat accurately against the i seal.

A cylinder 22 for compressed air is mounted on the base 7 by means of a bottom bracket 23 pivoted at 24 to a support 25 on the said base. This connection permits the cylinder to have a slight rocking movement to vaccommodate it tothe arc described by the arm 16. The cylinder is provided with a suitable pistonor plunger connected with the arm 16 by means of a suitable piston rod 26 for operating the door. A flexible compressed ,air pipe 27 communicating with the top of the cylinder is supplied with compressed air through the pi the main compressed air line 29.

A valve 30 operated by ay valve handle 31 controls the supply of compressed air to insures the closing of the door as soon as the compressed air is turned on to the vesv sel, and also enables the operator to operate the door, and simultaneously turn on or oft' the compressed air supply to the vessel by means of a single valve. A check valve 34 on the pipe 33 prevents yair from passing from the pipe 28 to the pipe 8 so that when the door operating air is turned on ahead of the air for the vessel it will not escape therethrough. The preferred practice is to close the door before air is turned on to the vessel, so that the air will not escape through the 'door'- and will not blow the finer aggregates therethrough, and this may be accomplished'by simply opening the valve gasket 12 and form an air tight pe 28 leading to the slot 37 and pin 38 by which the link is connected with the valve handle 35, as the said linl; must first move until the pin is in the `forward end of the slot before the handle 35 is moved. This slot also has an opening 39 so that the link can be disconnected from the handle 35, and the two handles operated separately if desired. It will also be seen that by adjusting the valves withv respect to their handles both valves may be opened simultaneously. This can also be accomplished by placing another pin in the forward end of the slot 37.

What I claim is:

l. A vessel for receiving materials t0 be discharged therefrom pneumatically having a charging and discharging opening, a cpnduit for compressed air communicating therewith, a door for closing said charging opening, a door operating arm connected adjacent to said opening'to have movement to and vfrom and through the same, a valve in said conduit, a branch conduit leading therefrom between said valve and said vessel, a valve in said branch conduit and a door operating piston in communication with said branch conduit, a second branch conduit leading from the first-named conduit on the opposite sideof s aid valve and communicating with said first branch.

2. A vessel for receiving materials to be discharged therefrom pneumatically havingv a charging and a discharging opening, a conduit for compressed air communicating therewith, a door for closing said charging opening, an arm connected adjacent to said opening to have movement to and from and through the same, a valve in said conduit, a branch conduit leading therefrom between said valve and said vessel, and a door operating piston in communication with said branch conduit, a second branch conduit leadingfrom the first-named conduit on the opposite side of said valve and communicating with said first branch.

3. A vessel for receiving materials to be discharged therefrom pneumatically having Va. charging and a discharging opening, a

conduit for compressed air communicating therewith, a ldoor for closing said charging opening, an arm connected adjacent to said opening to have movement. to and from and through the same, a valve. in said conduit, ka branch conduitA leading therefrom between said valve and said vessel, and a door operatingV piston in communication with said branch conduit, a second branch conduit leading from the first-named conduit on the opposite side of said valve and communicating with said first branch andra valve in Vsaid second branch.

a connection between the same and the door operating arm, and a conduit for air under pressure communicating Vbetween the conduit for supplying air to the vessel and said air operated device, a valve for controlling the supply of air to the vessel, and a conduit communicating with the air supply conduit to the door operating device and with the conduit. for supplying air to the vessel be,- tween the said valve and the vessel.

5. A vessel. for receiving material to be discharged therefrom pneuinatically having a charging and a discharging opening, a conduit for compressed air communicating therewith, a door for closing said charging opening, an arm mounted adjacent to said opening to have movement to and from the same, said door being 'mounted on said arm, an air operated device for closing said door, a connection between the same and the door operating arm, and a conduit for air under pressure communicating between the conduit for supplying air to the vessel and said air operated device, a valve for controlling the supply of air to t-he vessel, and a conduit communicating with the air supply conduit to the door operating device and with the conduit for supplying air to the vessel between the said valve and the vessel, and a check device on said last-named conduit preventing tliepassage of air from the said conduit for supplying air for the door operating device to the vessel.

- i 6. A vessel for receiving materials to be discharged therefrom pneumaticall-y having a charging and'a'discharging opening, a

conduit for compressed airrcommunicating therewith, a door for closing said charging opening, an arm mounted adjacent to said opening to have movement to and from the same, said door being mounted on said arm, an air operated device for closing said door, a connection between the same and the door operating arm, and a conduit for air under pressure communicating between the conduit for supplying air to the vessel and said air operated device, a valve for controlling the supply Vofair for the vessel and aivalve for controlling the supply of air to the air lll) operated device, valve operating handles on the said valves, and a connection between said handles whereby movement of one handle Will operate both valves.

7. In the combination of devices specified in claim 6, the said connection being constructed and arranged to operate the said valves in succession.

8. In the combination of devices specified in claim 6, the said connection being con- 10 structed and arranged to operate the said valves in succession, sald connection being detachable.

JAMES E. BUSHNELL. 

